Mira was beside her before she fully turned around.
Pulse. Eyes. "The cubs?"
"Fine. All three fine. They're steadier than I am, honestly."
Mira checked her colour. Checked her eyes again. Then she looked at the water.
And didn't say anything.
Faelyn waited.
Mira was still looking at the water.
"Mira?"
"Five hundred and seventy-eight years," Mira said.
"What?"
"I've been drinking contaminated water for five hundred and seventy-eight years." She still didn't look away. "I didn't know it was contaminated. It tasted clean. It looked clean. I thought that was simply what water tasted like."
Faelyn didn't say anything.
Mira reached out and put her fingers in. Just the tips. Held them there.
"It tastes like rain," she said. "Like the air just before rain comes."
Faelyn put her hand on Mira's arm and left it there.
